National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has commissioned North-Central Skill Acquisition Centre (SAED) and the garment, bakery and water factories located in Keffi, Nasarawa State to boost Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
The factory is equipped with over 100 industrial sewing machines and other machines needed for the production of high-quality kit items to be supplied for use by corps members, while the water factory has three water packaging lines for the production of sachet water as well as pet and dispenser bottle water.
Speaking at the commissioning of the factories in Keffi yesterday, the Nasarawa State governor, Abdullahi Sule thanked the director general of the NYSC for redefining and reinvigorating the scheme as a whole, while stressing the need not only to acquire a degree but to acquire a skill.
The governor said, “You have done wonderfully well. I have attended several of your events, one of which was the opportunity to visit the NYSC museum that you have established and without mincing words, just like the Emir of Lafia has mentioned it doesn’t matter how many years NYSC continues to remain.
“You came in and redefined NYSC. You set up a museum, set up acquisition centers all across the country and today, you have been able to actually have NYSC now generating revenue and returning the revenue to the federal government for the first time in the history of NYSC, so you have indeed redefined this.
“At one of the events that I attended, the initiator of the NYSC as a whole, Gen Yakubu Gowon, had to thank you sincerely for bringing back the life of his vision.
“I want to assure you that by the grace of God, we will not only patronize the products you are having here, we will find ways to work together as a team because this is coming right on time.”
NYSC director-general, Major General Shuaibu lbrahim said the inauguration of the new factories has shown the commitment of the scheme in expanding its revenue generation platforms.
“They will also serve as additional training avenues for Corps members enrolling for relevant vocational skills under the SAED programme. This complex is also unique in the sense that it has the highest number of NYSC factories located in the same place,” he noted.
He said the scheme is also in talks with the Nasarawa State University on a proposed partnership whereby the Entrepreneurship Unit of the institution will use the facility to impart entrepreneurial skills on both the Corps members and interested youths of Keffi community.
The director general added, “I am also pleased to inform this gathering that our sustained focus on revamping the NYSC Ventures is bearing impressive results as over one billion Naira generated through these sources was paid into the Federal Government coffers from the year 2020 to 2021.
“This is the first time the NYSC is remitting revenue to the federal government, an achievement that has earned us commendations from the higher authorities, including the National Assembly.”
On his part, the former governor of the state, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, thanked the DG for making sure this impact has been properly captured.
He emphasised the need to train youths to be self-sufficient, saying that the government alone cannot give jobs to everyone.
The Emir of Lafia, Sidi Bage Muhammad said the DG has set a pace that any one coming after him will have to work very well.
The event was attended by former Chiefs of Army Staff: Lieutenant General AB Danbazau (rtd) and Lieutenant General TY Buratai (rtd), among other dignitaries.
